What's so bad about Dres?

[mikegarrison]

Actually, you can't even complete the tech tree in 1.0 without deliberately grinding science. If you just fly around the system, taking reasonable measurements, collecting a few surface samples, and sending reasonable reports, you run out of planets before you have completed the tech tree.

In my only 1.0.x career mode game so far, I've visited Duna, Ike, Eve, Gilly, Dres, Jool, Tylo, Pol, Bop, and Moho, but I've only unlocked a couple of 550-point nodes. In 0.90, I had already completed the tech tree at this point, because contracts gave you much more science. Unfortunately 1.0 removed almost all contract science, making grinding the only way to complete the tech tree.

Ah, well I was assuming you go to all the biomes on Mun and Minmus. To be fair, that can either be seen as "grinding" or as "exploring", depending on your point of view.

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It's all about the ravioli detector seeing as how it can get a new experiment in each different biome in space both high and low.

High, low, and landed too. And you get a lot of science for it. But you do need to get enough science points to unlock it in the first place.

The Lab also can unlock many, many science nodes for you if you use it efficiently.

[insert_name]

you fail to account for drestroids, making docking and mining one somewhat easier than landing on dres, and can allow refuling stations to provide fuel without a lander or resupply